Means for stimulating the flow of fluids in animal bodies



C. JOBST Nov. 13, 1962 MEANS FOR STIMULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS INANIMAL BODIES Filed Feb. 15, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1lI-llllllll-llllll'flllllnul INVENTOR. CONRAD JOBST ATTORNEYS C. JOBSTNov. 13, 1962 MEANS FOR STIMULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS IN ANIMAL BODIESFiled Feb. 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4.

INVENTOR.

CONRAD JOBST ATTORNEYS direction.

United States Patent U 3,063,444 MEANS FGR S'IIMULATING THE FLOW FFLUIDS IN ANIMAL BQDIES Conrad Ziobst, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to .Iobstinstitute Inc., Toledo, @hio, a corporation of Qhio Filed Feb. 13, 1956,Ser. No. 565,152 1 Claim. (1. 128-39) The invention relates to means forstimulating the flow of fluids in animal bodies and more particularly inthe venous and lymphatic systems. It is the object of the invention toobtain means which may be used by patients that are either bedridden orfor some reason are not able to live a life of muscular activity. It isa fact known to the medical profession that venous flow is induced byalternate contraction and release of the muscles of the body. Thedirection of flow is controlled by valves in the veins which in a stateof health will limit it to one In certain conditions of health thesevalves may fail to function which requires other means for directing theflow. What has been said about the venous circulation is equally true ofthe lymphatic fluid which requires a degree of muscular activity toinsure proper functioning. In a former invention forming the subjectmatter of patent application Serial No. 430,770, now Patent No.2,747,570 filed May 19, 1954, and allowed October 19, 1955, fluid flowis stimulated by periodic contraction of a non-elastic garmentsurrounding some portion of the body. In particular the garment fittedfor skin contact with the body but with negligible pressure thereon isprovided with one or more tubes extending longitudinally thereof whichwhen deflated will produce no pressure but when inflated willcircumferentially contract the garment. The means for inflation of thesetubes is not specifically described and may be anything suitable for thepurpose. However, I have discovered that the timing of this periodicinflation is of importance and that in each cycle there should be aperiod where the con traction is negligible. It is also important toestablish a maximum limit of pressure during the cycle and to graduallyincrease and decrease the pressure from the Zero point and return. Tothis end I have devised an automatic mechanism which will operate in thedesired cycle periodically contracting the garment to produce theradially inward pressure on the body and releasing it from any pressureduring a part of the cycle.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical central section through the operating unit whichperiodically produces the fluid pressure and releases the same in apredetermined cycle; it also includes a diagrammatic representation ofthe garment connected to said unit to be operated by the fluid thereof.

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on line 33, FIG. 1, with the tube thereof deflated.

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of FIG. 3 showing the tube inflated tocircumferentially contract the garment.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the tube in collapsedposition.

The garment or envelop of non-elastic material A is adapted to bewrapped about the portion of the body, such as a leg, in which fluidcirculation is to be stimulated. As specifically shown, FIG. 1, theopposite edge portions A, A are overlapped and spaced series of hooks B,B are attached thereto which may be drawn towards each other by a lacingC. Thus, the envelop may be fitted to contact the body with negligiblepressure thereon. At one or more points, preferably two, adjacent tosaid overlapping portions tubes D are placed in pockets E within theenvelop being normally in flattened deflated 3,063,444 Patented Nov. 13,1962 condition. If, however, the tube is inflated its transverseexpansion will cause a circumferential contraction of the envelop and acorresponding radially inwardly directed pressure against the body.

For producing the inflation pressure in a predeterminately timed cycle Ihave provided an operating unit F. This includes a small power rotaryelectric motor G, such as a synchronous motor with a speed of rotationof 1800 r.p.m., which motor is mounted on a casing F containing astep-down transmission H. The driven shaft H of the transmission extendstransversely across the casing F and rotates at the desired speed, suchas 1 I. per forty-five seconds. Above the casing F is a cylindricalcasing I forming an air pump preferably with the flexible diaphragm I.This diaphragm has centrally connected thereto a rod I which extendsdownward in the casing F and has a bifurcated portion 1 embracing theshaft H. The portion J is also slotted in a plane transverse to the axisof the shaft H to receive a cam K mounted on said shaft. A cam followerroller K is also secured to the portion J within said slot so that therotation of said cam will raise and lower the flexible diaphragm I. Theupward movement of the diaphragm will compress the air in the cylinder Iwhich is conducted through a flexible tube L to the tube or tubes D inthe pockets of the envelop A. The cam K is so fashioned as to raise therod J and diaphragm I in a predetermined portion of its cycle to retainit in raised position for another interval, to then lower the diaphragmto its original position, and to maintain it lowered during anotherportion of the cycle. A particular cycle which I have found desirable isone in which the diaphragm is raised during a period of eight seconds,is held in such raised position for six second, is gradually loweredthrough another six seconds, which leaves a period of twentyflve secondsof the forty-five seconds cycle. The advantage of this cycle is that formore than one-half the time the pressure is atmospheric, producing noinflation of the tubes D or contraction of the envelop and avoidinginterference with other natural functions of the body, such as that ofarterial circulation within the body produced by heart action.Nevertheless in the active portion of the cycle the contraction of thegarment will force flow of fluid in the venous or lymphatic systems. Theoperation may be controlled by merely turning on or off an electricswitch so that the patient without the service of an attendant may treathimself. The radial pressure on the body is varied, being highest in theportion farthest from the heart as fully described in my Patent No.2,747,570, Serial No. 430,770.

A patient may have a single envelop surrounding a small portion of thebody, such as a leg, or this may be extended to cover a greater portionor separate envelops may be simultaneously applied to arms and legs. Itis, therefore, necessary that the volume of air compressed should besuflicient for the greatest extent of coverage and without objectionablyaltering the cycle where the extent of coverage is varied. This isaccomplished by forming the cylinder I of suflicient dimensions for themaximum capacity and by providing a pressure relief valve for thesuiplus compressed air not required. As specifically shown in FIG. 3,the air from the cylinder I passes upward through a conduit M to aT-fitting M which is connected at one end of the head of the T to theflexible conduit L. The opposite end of the T-head is connected to avalve casing N which contains a ball check valve N biased by a spring Nto engage a seat N closing the valve. The spring is loaded to apredetermined pressure by an abutment N threadedly engaging the casingand a lock nut N holds said abutment in adjusted position. An exhaustport N in the portion speasaa of the casing beyond the valve permits theescape of surplus air. There is also an air inlet port N on the oppositeside of the valve N which is normally closed by the ball check valve NIn operation the air displaced by the diaphragm I in its upward movementwill rise in pressure but not higher than that determined by thepressure relief valve N. At the same time air passing through theflexible tube L will intlat the tube or tubes D or one or more of theenvelops depending upon the number used, causing contraction of the samewith the resulting radial inward pressure against the body occurs'duringthe first fourteen seconds of the cycle, the pressure being graduallyreleased during the next six seconds and dropping to atmosphericpressure for the remaining portion of the forty-five seconds cycle.During the downward movement of the diaphragm air which has escapedthrough the pressure relief valve N will be replaced by air entering theport N and lifting the check valve N What I claim as my invention is:

Means for stimulating fluid flow in animal bodies comprising an envelopadapted to fit about and in contact with a portion of the body, meansfor circumferentially contracting said envelop and alternately releasingin successive uniformly timed cycles, means for timing Within saidcycles periods of contraction at one predetermined rate and periods ofrelease at a second independent predetermined rate, in which said meansfor contraction and release includes a cam operable against a flexiblediaphragm to urge said diaphragm to predetermined positionscorresponding to the cam surface, the pressures in said envelop beingvariable corresponding to the position of said diaphragm.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,042,058 Van Hook Oct. 22, 1912 1,147,560 Shurtlefi July 20, 19152,113,253 Gray Apr. 5, 1938 2,533,504 Poor Dec. 12, 1950

